# A question about witnessing in Great Debates **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 1, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453 "2014-05-01T18:14:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/21 "2014-05-02T14:50:14Z")
Maybe what we need is for the OP to be given one or two days to respond to debate or information requests, and if it turns into “I don’t want to debate, I only want to witness. Jesus loves me, the bible told me so”, then it gets locked so we can move on to the next argument/debate. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/22 "2014-05-02T14:55:00Z")
Witnessing really needs something special to show what it is so it can be more easily avoided. Once you think it is a debate some people feel compelled to debate after clicking into it. Put a flag on it and we can just never click into it. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/23 "2014-05-02T14:57:09Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > If you look at the description of the forum it says clearly: > > [Bolding mine] > > That’s really the best place for it – so many of these religious discussions are “long-running.” > > Just because you don’t support someone else’s point of view doesn’t mean they’re not entitled to state it. (Within reasonable limits, of course.) You’re not even required to read it. You don’t have to agree; in fact, the very soul of Great Debates is just that, discussion and debate, opposing views. You have semi-free will and can choose your discussions and debates. I’m not arguing that the rules say it’s the right place for witnessing – I’m arguing that the rules are wrong and GD is the wrong place for witnessing. If I were God Emperor Cecil, I would put witnessing threads in MPSIMS, where most of our pointless bullshit ideas get kicked around without the pretense that they have any genuine importance. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/24 "2014-05-02T15:10:26Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I’m not arguing that the rules say it’s the right place for witnessing – I’m arguing that the rules are wrong and GD is the wrong place for witnessing. If I were God Emperor Cecil, I would put witnessing threads in MPSIMS, where most of our pointless bullshit ideas get kicked around without the pretense that they have any genuine importance. How is religion and its influence on our lives any less important a topic than politics and its influence on our lives? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/25 "2014-05-02T15:24:21Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > How is religion and its influence on our lives any less important a topic than politics and its influence on our lives? Arguably, it’s not. But witnessing is not intended for debate, it’s more a “Hey, this is what I think”. Usually the author doesn’t care whether anyone else agrees or not, and especially has no interest the kind of dissection of the origins of those beliefs that a debate invites. I think either MPSIMS or IMHO is far better suited to witnessing, unless the OP genuinely intends to put forward their ideas and conclusions as a proscription for society and is willing and interested in a debate about their worth. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/26 "2014-05-02T15:30:22Z")
Maybe a **Witnessing** forum of its own, complete with tumble weeds rolling across the top banner? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/27 "2014-05-02T15:45:36Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Arguably, it’s not. But witnessing is not intended for debate, it’s more a “Hey, this is what I think”. Usually the author doesn’t care whether anyone else agrees or not, and especially has no interest the kind of dissection of the origins of those beliefs that a debate invites. > > I think either MPSIMS or IMHO is far better suited to witnessing, unless the OP genuinely intends to put forward their ideas and conclusions as a proscription for society and is willing and interested in a debate about their worth. We’ve had political threads and even science threads of that same nature, though-should they be treated the same way you want religious witnessing threads to be treated? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/28 "2014-05-02T15:47:12Z")
I think that if people don’t want to talk about what they post, they should go start a blog elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/29 "2014-05-02T15:52:26Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > We’ve had political threads and even science threads of that same nature, though-should they be treated the same way you want religious witnessing threads to be treated? Sure, if they’re witnessing about … whatever, and not putting forth ideas as a subject for debate. Maybe they’re witnessing that Lauren Bacall is the most gorgeous woman in world history, or that pan-fried semen is yummy, or that Allah is the One True God. No difference. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/30 "2014-05-02T16:01:14Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I think that if people don’t want to talk about what they post, they should go start a blog elsewhere. It’s not necessarily that they don’t want to talk about it, or even talk to others about it, but they don’t want to _debate_ it. These threads are the very essence of Mundane Pointless Stuff That I Must Share. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/31 "2014-05-02T16:06:36Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > It’s not necessarily that they don’t want to talk about it, or even talk to others about it, but they don’t want to _debate_ it. These threads are the very essence of Mundane Pointless Stuff That I Must Share. What do you mean by “debate”-stating an opposing viewpoint? I don’t think _any_ forum restricts you from doing that. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/32 "2014-05-02T16:12:54Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What do you mean by “debate”-stating an opposing viewpoint? I don’t think _any_ forum restricts you from doing that. I dunno – then why isn’t there just one giant forum for everything? There is a debate forum and there is an MPSIMS forum, and if there’s no difference between them maybe we oughtta have a Mundane Pointless Debate forum, which now that I think about it isn’t far from reality anyway. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/33 "2014-05-02T16:17:18Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > If I were God Emperor Cecil, I would put witnessing threads in MPSIMS, where most of our pointless bullshit ideas get kicked around without the pretense that they have any genuine importance. I think that, implied in the definition of “witnessing” is that the ideas being expressed do have genuine importance _to the person expressing them_. Whether or not they’re important to anyone else—well, that’s part of what the debate is. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/34 "2014-05-02T16:19:13Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I dunno – then why isn’t there just one giant forum for everything? There is a debate forum and there is an MPSIMS forum, and if there’s no difference between them maybe we oughtta have a Mundane Pointless Debate forum, which now that I think about it isn’t far from reality anyway. 🙂 There isn’t a “Debate” forum-there is a “_Great_ Debate” forum. The difference between that and the other forums is spelled out in its description, and religion falls under that description, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/35 "2014-05-02T17:04:19Z")
Clearly my opinion is a minority one, perhaps a minority of one. That’s ok with me, but I think further discussion is going to be fruitless. I will just reiterate that the debate forum is perfectly appropriate for those interested in debating their ideas, religious or otherwise. I see witnessing as something entirely different, and better suited elsewhere, even though the rules say otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/36 "2014-05-02T17:10:24Z")
Give witnessing its own forum. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/37 "2014-05-02T17:17:45Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Give witnessing its own forum. What would the rule be: “Say anything you want, but no one gets to respond”? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/38 "2014-05-02T17:20:51Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > There isn’t a “Debate” forum-there is a “_Great_ Debate” forum. The difference between that and the other forums is spelled out in its description, and religion falls under that description, in my opinion. I always thought the “great” part of the forum name was somewhat facetious. _My_ debates are of world-shaking importance but \*yours \*are merely frivolous. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/39 "2014-05-02T17:43:22Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I always thought the “great” part of the forum name was somewhat facetious. _My_ debates are of world-shaking importance but \*yours \*are merely frivolous. You have that backwards. _ **MY** _ debates are of world-shaking importance. _Yours_ have less significance than a flea fart. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453/40 "2014-05-02T18:00:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What would the rule be: “Say anything you want, but no one gets to respond”? Do you honestly think this is what he means? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-witnessing-in-great-debates/687453.md?page=3)